Chaka Khan; ABC/Ida Mae AstuteFunk/soul legend Chaka Khan will be portrayed by Grammy-winning Canadian R&B singer Melanie Fiona in season two of the BET series American Soul, which returns on May 27.
“I still can’t believe this actually happened,” Fiona wrote Tuesday in an Instagram post announcing her upcoming role. “Yup! It’s ya girl as the iconic Chaka Khan.” Melanie added that Chaka was a “huge inspiration.” Many fans left comments noting how much Fiona resembles Khan.
American Soul, which debuted last year, chronicles the highs and lows of the late Don Cornelius, the legendary host and producer of the nationally syndicated TV show Soul Train. Cornelius is played by Sinqua Walls on the show.
Fiona said she’s ready for the “fashion, the fire, the gift” of the role.
“If ya’ll only knew the years of visual comparisons and manifestation that lay behind this opportunity,” she wrote. “It’s very emotional for me. I’ve done some really cool things in my life and career, but this one definitely feels like destiny.”
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